WELLAND - Students will be walking a bit further to Niagara College as buses drop them off on First Ave. for the time being.

Welland Transit is making the change until a support staff strike between Ontario Public Service Employees Union - the organization representing the staff - and the College Employers Council is resolved.

"While the strike is in place we will not be going into the school," said Alfred Stockwell, transit manger for Welland Transit. "We will be unloading and loading students on First Ave. This will prevent any delays in schedules."

Students are dropped off on the east side of the Welland Campus. A similar drop off point will occur at the school's Niagara-on-the-Lake campus, where students will be dropped off at the main entrance on Taylor Rd., Stockwell said.

The bus route change is one of many changes to occur at the campus as the strike enters its second week.

Bob Holder, president of OPSEU local 243, said there have been no new talks.

"Management is refusing to come to the table now," Holder said. "They were saying that they were waiting for us at the table. We said we would meet them anytime. Last week we said let's get back to the table, but they're refusing to."

In a memo issued on the college's website, Teresa Quinlin, vice president of corporates services, said she hoped the strike is resolved quickly as colleges remain willing to have productive negotiations with OPSEU.

"The union initiated this strike because it would not accept an offer that increased wages and asked for no employee concessions," Quinlin stated. "The OPSEU team left the table with the parties being far apart on wages and benefits, and we will not get closer to a deal until the union is willing to accept the economic challenges we are facing."

While the strike continues, all programs will continue to operate at Niagara College. Services such as financial aid, registration, food services, libraries, information centres, and food services to name a few will continue to operate as normal.

There will be limited services at the Niagara College Test Centre, while the college's child care centre, career planning and academic advising, health services and doctor's clinics will be closed until the strike is resolved.